Fur has been subject to a major controversy in recent years. Many activists especially the likes of PETA have been fighting against fur farms and the brands that sell fashion items made of real animal fur.
So, the vast majority of the big designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Gucci have already switched their collection to faux fur and animal-free materials to avoid the debate and hit their financial goals.
But if you were an animal would it make any difference for you that you die for fur or food. In both cases you’re a dead animal, so better give your skin for people to survive the cold.
On the other hand, people should be 100% against the bad practices in some animal farms where the animals are slaughtered and tortured in the worst possible manners.
Saying that, can real fur make a comeback in the fashion scene and embrace people’s necks and shoulders?
It is unlikely that real fur makes a comeback like the old days, but it shouldn’t completely disappear either, since people living in freezing regions of the world use it to survive. However, for the sake of fashion and show, I think it will be more and more binding to ditch animal fur and only use synthetic alternatives.
The Value of Fur: Warmth and Survival
There has been an absence of discussion regarding the underlying reasons for the significant value placed on fur.
Imagine yourself in a chilly pre-modern winter with no central heating, modern conveniences, or deliveries. Fur, with its exceptional warmth, played a pivotal role in enabling humans to thrive in previously inhospitable conditions, thereby protecting their health and well-being.
Even in the present day, it remains exceptionally challenging to find anything that can rival the warmth provided by a genuine fur coat. This is attributable to the microscopic structures present in each fur hair, adept at trapping warm air and providing insulation from the harsh cold.
That is why a lot of places with harsher climates are not going to let go of their furs no matter how much animal rights activists make noise: In environments where temperatures plummet to -50°C with relentless, piercing winds, real fur is truly a matter of life and death, surpassing nearly all alternatives.
Therefore, location plays a major role in wearing fur or not. Places like Siberia or Northern Canada will absolutely wear fur coats to survive while people in sunny Miami or rainy London might choose a fur free alternative.
People will protest against furs and then drive home on leather seats
Opinions For the Use of Fur
If you hunt/farm the animals locally, to eat and use their leather/fur (or any other parts), you make less environmental impact than shopping some new “ethical” clothes and food from other faraway places esp overseas.
The sheer amount of energy used in the big factories and transportation is very destructive to Earth.
It is cruel to living beings around the world as well, but people don’t seem to mind it as long as they are not killing or showing off the animals directly, which is basically sentimental drama. The same goes for buying fruits and vegetables.
You don’t need special avocados white strawberries or imported exotic fruits. Use what you have there nearby. If fur is there next to you and it lasts generations, by all means, use the fur. It’s so tiring to see we all increase environmental damage by going further and further from simple local living.
So What Is The Trend Like?
The general designers’ and people’s attention is clearly shifted toward the use of faux fur, in most countries:
Here’s what the trend of both looks like from 2004 until today:
There is a decline in people’s interest in real fur and a huge increase in their interest in fake fur.
Today’s consumers, particularly younger demographics, are increasingly driven by ethical and environmental concerns, prioritizing cruelty-free and sustainable choices.
Today’s consumers, particularly younger demographics, are increasingly driven by ethical and environmental concerns, prioritizing cruelty-free and sustainable choices.
Additionally, the efforts of animal rights activists and organizations like PETA or the Fur Free Alliance have played a crucial role in raising awareness about the ethical issues surrounding fur, contributing to a broader societal consensus against its use in fashion.
As A Fur Lover, Here Are Good Decisions You Can Take
It certainly depends on you. But here are a few recommendations that many people share in order to get the benefit of both fur and anti-fur fans:
- Wear vintage/old fur coats
- Wear faux fur coats and jackets
- Wear by-product of the meat coats like sheepskin or rabbit
- Wear real fur coats only in Bone-chilling cold regions
- Avoid wearing fur if this might start a controversy
